


Along For The Journey

by eldfriend



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21830038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eldfriend/pseuds/eldfriend
Summary: During his travels, a red-headed stranger well-versed in the sword crosses paths with a certain violet-haired prince.
Relationships: Joshua/Lyon, Lyon/Joshua
Kudos: 6





	Along For The Journey

The scene Joshua was a part of at the time was what it was, and it was one that had some constants between all the kingdoms of Magvel, specifically the need to go forth and make time to breathe some fresh air. He had realized it was a wise choice to travel and yet remain in the scene of coins, darkness, and wagers a long time ago, since traveling did mean going outside. Currently, Joshua was sitting on the wall of the outer rim of an elaborate fountain of a wyvern knight, eating one of those pastries he had heard of back in Jehanna from visiting knights yearning for them. Gradolian Knots, they were called. The honey caramel filling required a drink to counter its sweetness, and he was happy one of his comrades from back home had sent him with a refillable flagon of pure water for this purpose. It was not always water in that flagon, but at this hour of the day it always was. Joshua believed in taking risks, but they were calculated most of the time.

“Excuse me, sir!” Joshua followed the noise down to where a child with a shock of bright pink hair stood. “I don’t want to trouble you, sir, but I told my little sister I would buy her this book about pegasi for her, but it’s on a very high shelf. Could you please help me?”

“I am what you would call a nice person, and there is no reason I won’t help you. If I may ask, why did you ask me? Why not anyone in the bookshop, or anyone out here?” Joshua gestured to the other adults seated on the plaza. “Where are your parents, or your guardians?”

“Mother lets us go into town while she prepares her poultices as long as we stick together. We should go soon…” The child stares worriedly at the bookshop. “Alys will be climbing the shelves if we don’t go back and do something.”

“I can certainly relate to being hungry for knowledge. Shall we go?”

“Yes, let’s go! Also I came to you because you are cool and have a sword and like uhhh you just look really cool!” 

The two stroll into the bookshop. There are books of all kinds, but there are not many customers in the shop, and most of them are dark mages of various genders. Behind the checkout counter sits a woman with braided hair intensely gazing at a diagram for what appears to be an anima-based ritual. Without looking up, she says, “Can I help you?”

“Where’s my sister?” 

“Oh, it’s you. Alys is just where you left her.” The child excitedly looks around, and leads Joshua to where a smaller girl with a similar shock of pink hair is kneeling in front of a bookcase. Alys’ sibling points up at a book near Joshua’s head. “It’s that one. But don’t let her see! C’mon, Alys.” As soon as the child has helped their sister away, Joshua takes the book in his hands and flips through it. He feels something crash into his leg. “All right, she’s gone. Can I have the book now?” Joshua gives them a thoughtful look, then removes two large silver coins from inside his jacket before giving the child the book and the coins. “This should cover the book and maybe allow you to get a little something for yourself. That’s always important, the way I see it.” The child’s face lights up. “Thank you so much! Alys is going to be so happy!” They scamper off, leaving Joshua surrounded by children’s literature. _I’m older than that_ , he thinks as he tries to find a more interesting corner of the bookshop to peruse. Eventually, Joshua finds himself looking at a tome that seems to cover varying methods of enchanting weaponry. The book draws him in, and more than a few minutes pass before his concentration is broken. 

“You know, I’ve never seen anyone outside of Grado who would be interested in such a topic. It’s always forging this and alloy that, no talk of enchantment whatsoever. And then there’s Rausten, but recently their dark magical research seems to be a bit lacking.” Joshua looks to his right and sees a purple-haired teen with a long cloak and shiny pauldrons smile at him as he fumbles for a response. “I, uh, do like to know what makes my sword so good at slicing, you know. It’s more than, uh, metal.”

“Is it now? Could you show me your sword, here, in this bookshop?” Joshua narrows his eyes, but relaxes once he realizes the context of those words. “It’s right here.” He reaches for his scabbard and withdraws a sword of sharp and shiny obsidian carved with a red and black pattern. “Now, I can’t exactly hand this over, but you can see the runes here, here, and toward the hilt here, right? I kind of just realized they were responsible for why, you know, they call this a Killing Edge. Also, I don’t believe I got your name?” At the same time Joshua notices a thin diadem under the teen’s thick purple bangs, said teen chuckles in response. “I’m ahead of myself, aren’t I? I noticed you were not from here by your style of dress, but there I go again, enraptured by your sword and what it does. Anyway, my name is Lyon, and I am the crown prince of Grado.” Suddenly, a redhead becomes much redder, and he bows in reverence, almost dropping his hat. “It’s, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Joshua, and, well, I am not from here. I am a traveler, as they say.”

“Hm. You wear Jehannan clothes, and you carry a Killing Edge of Jehannan make, so you must be from Jehanna, yes?” Joshua gulped. “That is correct.” Lyon looked like he was doing whatever calculations in his head mages would do when they prepare spells, and Joshua tensed slightly as he put away his sword. 

“You know, I’ve never really been there myself. It must get really hot in the summertime, I imagine.” It wasn’t the best joke he had heard, but Joshua found himself laughing. “Grado is further south, though, isn’t it? I figure the summers there must be hotter.”

“It is clever of you to visit during an off season, then? Fall in Grado can be quite beautiful. I should show you around.”

“You’re a prince. I’m just some stranger you bumped into in a bookshop.”

“A stranger who has never been on a picnic in our famous orchards and should accompany the prince on such a quest.”

“Well then, I am certainly nobody to refuse an invitation from a prince.”

* * *

An hour or so later, the two boys found themselves on top of a great hill, with a breathtaking vista of the surrounding farms framed by fiery foliage and the midday sky. The servants had gone to catch a horse that had somehow run away, leaving the two to wander. 

“Now, you told me a family friend of yours would be meeting us up here with, uh, all the picnic things?” Joshua gave the horizon a skeptic glance. 

“He said he would be. My father frequently dines with him and the other knights, and he is what some would call a foodie. I was going to meet him up here, anyway. He has been in charge of teaching me how to be a proper tactician, and this is actually a reward for doing so well on my last examination.”

“Why not learn a weapon? You know, be a mage knight and all.”

“I tire easier than most people. Dark magic is draining, and granted, I still do it, but that’s really only because it’s the most interesting kind of witchcraft to me. You don’t mind that I’m a dark mage, do you?”

“No, not at all.”

“I originally took up magic because it kept me away from the front lines, but I learned that it was easier to hold my own in battle with ranged spells than exhaust myself with a close-range weapon.”

“I see. You could have used a bow, but...I see how that can be straining for you.”

“Yes. Most spells require some sort of motion, but it’s never sharp or straining. A graceful spell flow can do just as much damage as an axe swipe, but the former does not completely exhaust me.”

“Thanks for explaining, I will keep that in mind if I am to accompany you.”

“And likewise, battle strategy is a well-respected area I feel confident in that doesn’t completely wipe me out. Speaking of, I see the one that’s been teaching me such tactics. Sir Duessel! I’ve brought a friend!” Joshua felt a warm rush behind his cheeks as Lyon said this. A man in a red doublet old enough to be either one of their fathers was approaching the two, carrying a large basket. His hair was mostly of a wisterian hue with some lilac starting to show around the roots, and although there was a stoic look in his eyes, he had a kind smile. 

“Lyon, this is nice that you have brought another guest. I’ve brought one as well. Knoll, you and the Prince will help take this out of my hands and set up the feast we’ve packed for you.” A boy withdrawn within his billowing purple cloak had also come to join the group. He sighed as he and Lyon began spreading a blanket woven with threads of gold, red, and violet in an elaborate pattern. Duessel stepped closer to Joshua. “So, you’re Lyon’s new friend?”

“That’s right.”

“I haven’t seen that style of dress since my mission in Jehanna. You must be from there, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“I have many memories of days spent riding through the sand. There are many stories of sand spirits I have collected from our allies there.”

“That’s why I always wear this charm.” Joshua fishes beneath the neckline of his shirt and pulls out the charm he wears around his neck: a simple silver circle with lines that emanate in a wild dance from a center point. “I have heard the tales as well, but as luck would have it, those spirits have never laid a finger on me. These days, I would say this is more of a lucky charm than a protective medallion.“ He put his necklace back in his shirt, and then paused. “Lyon, when you have a moment, I want to show you something!” The prince perked up, and after he had set down a quiche of a notable diameter, he made his way over to Joshua. “What is it?” Joshua fished around in his shirt again, finally finding the medallion and bringing it into fresh air again. “This is a lucky charm of mine, in a manner of speaking.” At first, he couldn’t tell if Lyon was looking at the charm or where the neckline of his shirt ended, but when the prince spoke, things seemed to clear up in Joshua’s perception.

“Oh, I’ve only read about protective wards like these? Do you mind if I take a closer look?”

“As long as you don’t steal it from me or, uh, otherwise remove it from my neck, we’re cool.” Joshua fumbled with his words as if they were unwieldy wooden swords he had just picked up for training: heavier, more warped, and in worse shape than anything he had actually used to wound an adversary. Meanwhile, Lyon took the medallion in one hand and Joshua’s shoulder in the other, leaving the redhead to study the prince’s face further as the prince studied his medallion further. Joshua could not tell if he was trembling or the prince was, but someone’s heart was beating as if it wanted out so it could join the other heart in the same physical space. Just as the tension mounted to a drumming peak, Lyon let go of both things in his grasp and drifted away, almost like a wraith. Joshua definitely felt something pulling him, though. Something that wouldn’t give up easily.

“Lyon, tell your guest that we’ve set up. Also the soup is getting cold.” The violet-haired prince heard Knoll’s words from a distance.

“You brought soup? An interesting choice for a picnic.” He approached his somewhat withdrawn friend, already cradling a small bowl of the stuff in his pale hands.

“It’s just one of those things that feels right when it comes to autumn in Grado. Creamy or brothy, it just keeps you very warm during this cold season. That and the layers.” Knoll was actually smiling

“You know, it was good Duessel let you out of that tower. When you’re not studying, you should at least step outside every once in a while. You have the cover for it.”

“You actually have more reasons to be outside than I do, though. You’re a prince. I’m just studying to become a dark mage. Well, that, and, uh, the other thing we’ve been working on.” Lyon shot Knoll a glance and he fell silent as Joshua returned to the picnic. “Well, what do we have here?” 

“Joshua, we have some soup. And bread, cheese, hard salami, and water. Cider! Oh, I forgot cider.” Lyon was beaming at the redhead as he rattled off the informal menu of the picnic. Joshua returned his excited gaze. “Well then, let’s dig into this!” He immediately grabs some slices of a baguette and begins spreading some of the softer cheese on it. Meanwhile, Knoll pulls out an ornate looking flask. “Duessel, one of the other knights got me this. Look what I’ve got!” Duessel looks up, and raises his eyebrows. “Knoll, aren’t you a little young to start drinking? I thought better of you.” Nevertheless, Knoll removes the flask’s cap.

“Drinking, oh, I don’t know, something like this?” He pours the flask’s contents into a simple wooden cup, and Duessel is relieved and amused to find that vessel contains more of that same soup. Joshua chuckles and says, “Knoll, in a way, that’s quite a gambit there, pal. Nicely done.” Knoll finds himself blushing in response to this and consequently turns his attention to more soup. Meanwhile, Lyon turns his attention somewhere else.

“Would you care to walk with me along this mountain path after this meal, Joshua?” 

“I would. This soup is good, what herbs do you use?”

“If Lyon knew, revealing one of Grado’s best-kept secrets would be what, high treason?” interjected Knoll from across the blanket.

“My mistake. I am still learning much about this continent and the people who live on it, day to day.” said Joshua with a sincere twinkle in his eyes. “So, what do you do when you aren’t doing your princely duties, or studying magic?”

Lyon gulped, and felt more warm broth sliding down his throat. “Uh, not a lot. Sometimes I play chess against myself, but that’s usually because by the time it’s late enough that I have free time, nobody’s awake.”

“You don’t say. Sleep is pretty important, you understand, right?”

“You know, you remind me of a close companion of mine. He cared about my sleep schedule to the same degree.”

“Perhaps I care about more of you to a greater degree.” Joshua was surprised by his own words, but relieved to see that Duessel and Knoll were already deep in conversation about something else. He turned back to Lyon, who was now blushing.

“I could tell that, you know. That’s why I asked you to take a walk with me later.”

“I’m more than game. Could you please pass me a slice of bread?” Lyon obliged, handing him the dish of loafy goodness. Joshua took the dish from Lyon, perking up as their hands brushed. 

“That bread is good, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, Knoll, it is.” replied Joshua.

“I’m glad we had a chance to make this happen.”

“I am in agreement with that statement,” said Lyon to Joshua. Knoll carried on, somewhat oblivious of the growing connection between the prince and the stranger.

“Yes. Grado usually falls into its cold snap about now, but the weather was nice enough to make this happen.”

“That’s funny. Rausten is not far from Jehanna, and in similar circumstances, they would thank Latona for this. Now, I wouldn’t call myself a religious man, but it is interesting to see differences between, say, how lands and their cultures explain the same thing.” Lyon grinned at Joshua’s explanation. Joshua looked back at him and motioned with his head away from the blanket. 

“Duessel, Joshua and I have finished a bit earlier than you and Knoll. Do you mind if we walk around for a bit?” The instructor stared intently, first at Lyon, then at Joshua. The stranger felt Duessel’s judgment in his eyes as he lingered a bit longer on him. “You are going with an ally, so I trust him to help if things get difficult. You know your limits, Prince Lyon.” Lyon nodded solemnly. “Good. If you two meet us here at or before sunset, perhaps your guest can join the rest of us for dinner.“ Joshua spoke next.

“We won’t let you down.” 

* * *

For a fall forest, it was full of life, and the two adventurers took off with vigor. As soon as the others were out of sight, Joshua took Lyon’s hand into his own.

“Your hand is cold.”

“But my heart is warm, and you may be, no, definitely are, the cause of this.”

“Anything to help my dear Prince be his very best.”

“Your commitment is admirable, and I am sure there is more to admire about you still.” Joshua clasped Lyon’s hand tight, giving two long squeezes.

“Like the fact that I can identify this is an area full of beech, and oak, and sycamore?”

“Yes. I admire that.”

“You learn quite a lot from traveling, what can I say?”

“I wish I was able to travel. Sometimes we travel to Renais, but that’s only because my father knows the king there quite well.”

“You should be able to talk to your father about it, right? Just say if you’re going to be king one day, you should at least get out and learn about the kingdoms you’ll be interacting with.“

“First of all, we do emperors over here. I thought you knew that. Second of all, my father...he doesn’t want me to do that.” Lyon squeezed Joshua’s hand tightly as he gulped. Joshua turned toward the prince. “Why’s that?”

“He entrusts Duessel with overseeing the non-magical part of my studies. So I talked to him, since I would like to travel the world someday as well, and he said he would talk to my father. And he did. My father told him he doesn’t think I am old or strong enough to make it out there on my own, no matter how many men are out there helping me. He explained to me that outside of Grado or Renais I would be an easy target for mercenaries, and I do respect my father’s wishes, so that simply has not happened yet.”

“But surely you could get a disguise and a couple friends and figure something out?”

“I haven’t had the time. Duessel and my father keep my plate full, and...” Lyon put a hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry. I really do need more breaks than these.“

“You do. In a way, I understand you have quite a burden on you as the only child of the emperor.” Joshua exhaled. “My parents never put any pressure on me, but there’s something about being the sole future of a family, especially if you have knowledge and at least one skill that you can use to help defend them. It’s hard work, and to be honest, I couldn’t handle it when it was thrust on me at that level.“ Lyon sensed something vaguely familiar in the way Joshua described his struggle, but he could not nail down what exactly it was. “So I left my family, and in a way, the burden became more bearable. Distance gives you what you need to reflect and grow.” Lyon squeezed the stranger’s hand in agreement. For a while, neither said anything as they made their way through an outcropping here, over a bridge someone had repaired there. In a way, they let silence make a few points as they wandered deeper and deeper into the woods. Eventually, Lyon broke the silence.

“You asked me what I do in my free time. More often than not, I actually have someone to play chess with. I’m used to minimizing myself in the presence of those with more power, but you need to know who I am if we’re doing this.” He squeezed Joshua’s hand again, and the redhead grabbed tighter. “When I can barely keep my head above the stress, or when I can’t focus on my studies, or when I can’t sleep, I explore the woods near Grado Keep. Usually it is my thoughts and the calm, but now you’re along for the journey. I didn’t think this would happen, but here we are.”

“I didn’t think my trip to Grado would lead me to a prince who wants to hold my hand and thinks the best of me, but here we are.”

“I’ve led us off the beaten path, so here in question is a good place to continue this conversation in another medium.“

“I am picking up everything you’re putting down.” Joshua pulled in Lyon for a kiss, sweet and sticky. Joshua felt Lyon’s lanky arms coil themselves around his back and pull him in closer. It wasn’t a fight, and while a lot of it felt experimental, a lot of it moved with passion. He kissed back all he could and felt himself overheat as Lyon bit his tongue, and for once was relieved by the chill of autumn. Joshua bit back, suddenly understanding this new definition his boyfriend had added to the rules of the game, and licked the walls of the mouth he was sampling with possessive motivation. Lyon, noticing this move, replicated it with less chaos and more grace, tracing there and back again with a concentrated rhythm. Joshua fixated on this, following Lyon’s tongue with his own on what he suddenly realized in a quite flustered state was becoming a dance of its own. As it escalated in pace, quicker and quicker, Joshua felt he was suddenly not the main source of heat in this relationship, and this stunned him, surrendering his tongue. At last, Lyon pulled back, and exhaled into Joshua’s neck as he patted the prince’s shoulders. The prince clung like he needed something to keep him afloat. Joshua noticed this, and weaved his hand near Lyon’s shoulder so he was bracing him. “Does this help?”

“You know what happened recently more than helps, Joshua.”

“But, am I, you know, helping with the whole energy thing? You seem to be almost out of it.” 

“I’m having a lot of emotions right now. They’re good ones, I can confirm.”

“Is exhaustion one of them?”

“No, exhaustion isn’t one of them. I’m fine, Joshua, I’m fine.”

“Don’t minimize yourself, you’re with me and I care about you intensely.”

“I care about you intensely as well, swordsman.” Joshua sighed. In Lyon’s flirty lethargy, he had trouble getting to him. “I think we’re going to sit here for a few moments,” he said as he led the stumbling prince to a niche in that rock outcropping they passed. They sat down, and Joshua took Lyon’s shoulders, so he could see the concern in his vermillion eyes. “I love you, but you need to listen to your body, not just mine.” After a spell, Lyon slumped into the stranger’s lap. “My body wants to do this right now.” 

“I can respect that.” Joshua starts gently ruffling Lyon’s fluffy hair as he closes his eyes in relief. He moves his hand down to the base of his neck, back to the middle of his back, where it gently rests. The forest scene in front of him is half as calming, Joshua thinks, as his beloved’s breathing. The calm is welcoming in a way neither of them want to leave.

As a deer scampers away with a golden glow, Joshua suddenly realizes the sun is a lot closer to the horizon than it was when they set out, and the realization of time mismanagement hits him like the blunt end of a hand axe. “Lyon, are you awake? It’s almost time to meet the rest of the squadron and return home.” Lyon turns over and opens his eyes with a groan. “Already? I don’t... ” He trails off as Joshua gently sits him up. “Trust me, given the choice I think neither of us would want to freeze out here. It gets colder at night, and I think you are aware.”

“You have me there.” Lyon gets himself back to a standing position and holds out his arm. “Shall we?” Joshua laughs. “I cannot say no so such offers, and you know this.”

* * *

Grado Keep is known for its tactical position on the continent of Magvel, the ahead-of-its time structural integrity-preserving elements it was built with, and its apocryphal traps rumored to have been installed as a measure in case any kingdom’s ruler should betray Grado within its walls. As Joshua discovered, it was not known to the rest of the world for its beauty. When they walked to the feast hall, he was about as amazed by the surprisingly lifelike portraits of queens and emperors and knights and archmages as he was that Lyon was significantly well-versed in their history. “That’s Archibald, he was archmage when my father was my age and he mastered a discipline of Anima magic based on wind manipulation. That’s Knerrell, you’ll notice he looks a lot like Duessel. That’s because he’s his grandfather, and in his time he recovered their ancestral spear when it went missing during a Frelian nautical celebration, saving that kingdom from certain doom. That’s Selena Fluorspar, probably one of the most formidable generals of our army. She is a champion tactician, no doubt about it. And in that portrait are two brothers we might meet tonight. Glen is also a general, and they call him the Sunstone. Until recently he was in charge of our aerial units, but now he leads a cavalry. His brother, Cormag, is not a general, but one of the best wyvern knights this side of the continent. Last year he won air javelin at the Magvellian Games, able to spear a floating target headed northwest a thousand and five feet above him while a thousand and five hundred feet above the ground. You may have the chance to ask him yourself tonight.”

“Lyon, how do you know all of this? I understand this figures into your education somehow, and pardon me when I say this, but you sound like you’ve given this talk before.”

“You are very observant, and I admire that. Twice a year, as part of my studies, I am supposed to memorize the names and lifespans of each figure in a portrait in these halls, along with each figure’s main service to Grado and a special fact about them. Another instructor of mine walks me down this hall, and I tell him what he needs to know about each figure we pass. When we reach the throne room at the other end of this corridor, he tells my father how successfully I have identified and recognized the figures as a whole. If I repeat a special fact for a figure that I have recited in past years, my accuracy score suffers.”

“That’s,” said Joshua, searching for the right words to say in mixed company, “That’s impressive. I’ve never had to do anything like that. I mean, I could try, but you have been, well, studying hard for this, and it shows.” Lyon’s eyes glisten above his blush. “You know, at the end of every new year, that instructor includes a special portrait, just before I walk into the throne room. It’s of me.” Joshua grabs Lyon’s shoulder as he whispers, “You don’t have to compare yourself to everyone else. You’re something different, and that’s good.”

“I know, that’s why I always come up with my achievements and facts first, so I don’t have to worry about it,” Lyon whispers back. “The feast hall is thisaways.” Joshua sees a servant ahead of them open a door and usher the group into a large room. 

The feast hall’s high ceilings and ornate chandeliers of wrought iron made Joshua wonder if inverse vertigo was a real thing. From the walls hung tapestries with woven motifs similar to the blanket Knoll had laid for them earlier, but larger and more resplendent with metallic threads of various warm colors. Most of the long tables were made of wood, but a long slab of black marble cut with white veins and decorated with golden details dominated the other end of the room. As they made their way towards the slab, Joshua began to felt uneasy, as expectations he was trying to forget with all his travel resurfaced. However, as he was trying to mentally push them down, Lyon’s hand brushed and then caught his own, pulling him forward in body and in mind. “My father does not know you exist, and so an introduction is in order if I am to be a good son.” Working their way through the crowd of nobles clad in rich silks and bright colors, Joshua sees a man sitting behind the middle of the slab. He shares the lilac shade of his son’s hair, although his is much longer, almost rivaling Joshua’s own length. Unlike Lyon’s thoughtful gaze, his father seems to be deep in thought, stroking his beard almost meditatively. Joshua thinks whether he ought to voice some sort of emotion, only to see he has already been led by Lyon straight to the emperor himself. 

“Father, I have brought a guest for tonight.” The emperor stiffens, eyeing the two somewhat briskly. “You never fail to amuse me. Who do you bring?” Lyon gestures to his boyfriend with a flourish. “This is Joshua. He is a swordsman of Jehanna I met perusing a weapon enchantment tome, and he has learned much from his travels across Magvel.” Joshua nervously smiles at the emperor. “It is an honor to be in your presence, sir.” The emperor, true to his name, remains silent for a spell, continuing his visual and mental assessment of his son’s guest with what becomes a puzzled look on his face. Suddenly, his confusion vanishes.

“I am not one to turn away guests, though I may have been presented as such. Send your kingdom my best.” As the emperor makes direct eye contact with Joshua for his last statement, he feels chills descending from his spine as his eyes try to look through the emperor to the red and gold patterns behind him. Lyon grabs Joshua’s hand again as he shows the group to a table near the emperor’s. “Something my father said broke your calm. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I’d rather not.”

“We can talk about it later somewhere else, if that’s what you need.”

“There are some things that, well, can’t be talked about ever.”

“My father has a good memory, and he’s seen a lot. Maybe you reminded him of someone he knew from Jehanna.”

“Can we stop talking about this forever?” Lyon looked up to see Joshua’s eyes full of fire without making his face an angry one. He gulped. “Yes, I suppose we can. The past is the past, you are still yourself, and anyway there is bread on the table to talk about instead. Here, let me set you up.“ Lyon took Joshua’s bread plate, poured a small pool of olive oil onto it, ground some pepper onto it, added a slice of bread from a nearby basket to the whole deal, and returned his creation to Joshua. The redhead was relieved to have something to do that did not make him uncomfortable. The bread was fluffy and tart, and the oil was flavorful, as if it had been made with rosemary. I could lose myself in this, he thought to himself. And so he did, until he was surprised.

“Hey, do you mind if we sit here?” The speaker was a blond woman with a leather doublet and a chartreuse cloak, accompanied by two blond men who resembled brothers. When Joshua noticed a familiar scar on one of the men’s cheeks, he realized who they were. 

“It is never a trouble for us, go right ahead.” Lyon said with a smile. The three fighters took their seats.

“Lyon, who’s your friend there?” asked the man with the scar.

“Oh, you know, he’s from Jehanna, I met him out of town. I mean in town. In a bookstore, actually. We’ve been getting to know each other. This is Joshua.” Joshua smiled his same nervous smile, but it was not in proximity to fear but proximity to greatness he considered above his own. “Joshua, huh? I don’t suppose anyone’s tried calling you Josh, huh?”

“It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue the same way.”

“I can confirm this,” Lyon chimed in. “Joshua, this is Selena Fluorspar, this is Glen the Sunstone, and this is Cormag the–“

“Wyvern Knight. I swear, people always wonder why Glen’s the one with the title. I didn’t choose to be a general, but the lance chose me.”

“I’ve heard wonderful things about you all,” responded Joshua. “Did you really compete in air javelin? What is it like?”

“Riding a wyvern is when I feel most alive. And it’s nice to not be fighting on one of these. Mock battles for the holidays were never my thing, but this is actually something I can do well that I prefer.”

“I wanted to ride a wyvern when I was young, but when I kept falling off my training horse, they decided I was better on my feet.”

“Eh, it’s never too late. I know plenty of late bloomers in that category.”

“Cormag, you should tell Joshua about that one time you left the harness on your wyvern,” Lyon intoned.

“Only if Selena tells us exactly how that dinner with the Frelian ambassador went, who you thought he was, and his exact identity,” replied Cormag.

“I believe we were in agreement that’s only happening when Glen tells us why his men call him the Funstone,” responded Selena.

“And that will be told when Duessel tells us the joke he made about horses with a colleague,” stated Glen.

“However, if that’s going to happen, Lyon’s going to tell us about the time he accidentally walked into a tree last time the twins were visiting.” The air pulsated with these friends’ laughter, and Joshua found the feast of his new acquaintances’ stories to be just as delicious as the feast of Grado’s finest food on his plate.

* * *

After dinner, Lyon showed Joshua his room. “My father has allowed you to stay the night, there is a guest room down the hall, though I suspect you will not be one for staying there all night long.” Joshua found himself blushing again. “I was hoping to spend some time with you, my prince.” The word had a different feel to it. A complicated aftertaste Joshua would have to spend some time with. It dissolved at the mellifluous sound of Lyon’s voice. “Sure, let me just move all these tomes back on the bookshelf and off this couch.”

“Would you like some assistance?”

“That would be of use. I am getting pretty tired. Put them all on the bottom shelf.” As Joshua hauled tomes to and fro, Lyon plopped down on the couch. 

“Thanks for dealing with me back in the woods. Love makes us stupid fools of us all, one way or another, and I needed to take care of myself.”

“I take care of those I care for.” Joshua, having finally removed the last of the tomes blocking his spot, set his hat and sword on a nearby shelf and plopped down next to Lyon. They started a gentle spoon, and Joshua pulled the prince into a cozy embrace. The two nuzzled in each other’s warmth. For a while, they could hear only heartbeats, breathing, and the crackle of the fire across from them. Suddenly, Joshua felt hands playing with his hair. “Lyon, what are you doing?”

“How do you keep it this long? Like, what do you _do_ to it?”

“I don’t know, what do you think I do with hair like this?”

“If we sit up, I might be able to try a few things.“ The little spoon wedged the two spoons upright like an eager piston. He fluffed his own hair as he went on. “I can’t do much with this besides holding it back with, oh, dear, where did I put it. No matter, I still have some ribbons that uh, I also use as bookmarks, but would look nice in your hair.” Lyon returns to the couch with some ribbons of various colors and widths. “Shall we begin?” Joshua eagerly nods.

The first thing Lyon does is take Joshua’s hair and tie it all back with one of his options, a simple leather cord. “This is a basic option, one I suppose you would take in a hurry.” Lyon opens a drawer on a nearby table, fishes around, and retrieves a large silver mirror with a sizable handle. He hands it to Joshua, who looks over his reflection. “To be honest, I don’t tie my hair back as much as I should, especially during swordplay. If I am swimming, I always have it like this, but I need to do this more.” Lyon sighed. “And to think I’m the one who needs to take care of himself in this relationship.” 

“We take care of each other when it’s needed. It seems we’re both proving that right now.” 

“Agreed. Let me show you a few more looks.” Lyon unties the leather cord, reties it into a square knot, and it feels almost like Joshua’s hair has been thrust into ponytail form over and over, and yet he does not feel his hair cascading down his back. When Lyon’s hands leave his head, Joshua raises the mirror to see himself sporting a low bun. He nods in approval. “This is good for longer-haired people during the summer. A knight from Renais taught me this while visiting with Prince Ephraim. That knight’s name was Forde, and he also taught me this next trick, so hold still.” Lyon removed the cord and grabbed something else on the table near him. He began coiling Joshua’s hair into a long, ropelike mass. “You know, I am actually flattered that someone like you actually puts in the hours to keep your hair tangle-free like this.”

“Trust me, when the night’s over, my hair will be far from tangle-free. The life of a long-haired swordsman is usually far from tangle-free.” Joshua felt his hair being wrapped around some sort of object. “Tangled or untangled, you are still my dear companion,” purred the prince. Joshua looked in his mirror again. “It seems you’ve somehow put my hair in a higher bun, but I have to ask, is that a knife? Your creativity is admirable.” 

“It’s covering most of the blade, but that’s a letter opener. Forde said this works best with quills, but I thought your hair would get caught in the nib, so I went for the second most effective accessory within reach.”

“Whether this could kill a man or not, it is still quite an accessory.”

“Oh, I am pretty sure you could kill a man with this. But let me admit that is not the kind of research I want to do.” 

“Well, again, this looks nice. If I have to look a bit nicer than this, I might use one of my daggers for this purpose. Yet I do not want to accidentally stab you with whatever’s in my hair while we do whatever we end up doing later tonight.”

“I have at least two things left to try.” Lyon whisked the letter opener in what was likely one of the straightest motions of the night, and Joshua’s hair fell out of its arrangement, assuming its normal length. He took a thicker plum ribbon and Joshua felt Lyon pull back some of the hair that would normally get in his eyes from both sides, and tie it with the ribbon. “Look in the mirror. This is something else in your pocket to have when you know you will be dining in a palace in the near future, and it is at least more decent than hat hair.” Joshua perused his reflection, and saw something he did not expect to stare back at him. He inhaled, and then exhaled his thoughts. “You know, I never really knew my father, but my mother told me he did his hair a lot like this.” Lyon’s hands froze. “Is it okay? I can change it, if this is too much.”

“It’s...it’s fine, and perhaps someday I will wear my hair like this. But you said you had one more thing you want to try, didn’t you?” 

“Yes.” Joshua felt the hands in his hair that were stroking him just a moment earlier feverishly undo the look his hair had been set in. Lyon held all of Joshua’s hair in three sections, and he felt ribbons tied around two of them. The third was split further into three sections that Lyon started to weave together frantically. “Having fun, are we?”

“Definitely. This is what I really wanted to try, but we had to work up to it, you see.”

“I for one am glad I could enable this.”

“As am I.” The weaving section in the middle was done, and now Lyon’s frantic weaving involved all three sections. Joshua could hear Lyon’s hurried breathing as he bound off the end of his creation. “Trust me, this will make you look amazing.”

“You make me feel amazing.” As Joshua raised the mirror, his eyes were drawn first to a blushing Lyon in the background, holding the side of his face. Lyon had braided his hair, but that in itself was an understatement. The middle section was a braid that in turn had been braided into the main braid, along with ribbons of bright orange and shimmering gold. The braid was held in place by that plum ribbon from earlier, layered on top of a wider gold ribbon. “Lyon, I love this. I love that you looked at my hair and had this idea, and I love you very much. Thank you.” Lyon’s scrawny arms folded the traveler into a hug, and he spoke into his boyfriend’s shoulder. “You know what the best part of looks like these are?”

“What?”

“This.” Lyon began a round of tender kisses on Joshua’s neck, and Joshua felt the warmth already present in his heart flare up, hungry for more, so he reciprocated a round of kisses on Lyon’s forehead, grateful he was not kissing the crown by accident. “This is good, let’s continue this cuddling, it’s underrated, especially with kisses,” declared Joshua.

“Seconded,” responded Lyon as he helped Joshua with his coat and boots. “Your socks look soft.”

“You are softer, and yet a sharper wit than most I’ve seen on this continent. A gentle source of wisdom indeed.” Lyon removed his shoes and rejoined his boyfriend. Joshua spread a soft blanket he had found over both of them. They stared at each other, and pulled each other closer and closer until they were breathing what they thought was the same breath. And so the two lovers closed their eyes, so close to dreams while in the midst of burning reality and true love, and they began to kiss. Joshua was not sure if he was pulling Lyon in with his mouth or if the reverse was true, every movement seemed like a group decision that both of them were flattered and flustered by. Lyon caressed Joshua’s cheek to get a better drink of this boy, and Joshua, still realizing there was much to learn, did the same as he made his way with his other arm towards Lyon’s waist. Joshua was just as aware of his physical location in time and space as he was of who he was kissing and what he did in response to keep this little game going. But it was more than a little game. Joshua never took a risk he could not precisely calculate, but if there was no risk to calculate with the actions he took, what was the point of his existence? Lyon’s sweetness pulled him in, reminded him there were things worth living in the moment for, and Joshua complied with his boyfriend’s sweet wishes, running his fingers through his soft hair, over and over and over again as he savored the moment he was in. Joshua kept kissing back with all his might, tracing his tongue exactly where it should go, and it felt in place. At last, they had given all they could give each other that night, and so the kiss gave way to the two of them lying in a tired pile on the couch, replacing the tomes that had been there earlier that day in a different way. Joshua kept stroking his lover’s hair as the two of them held each other and watched the changing shapes in the fireplace. Lyon’s face gave way to a sleepy smile. 

“I could fall asleep holding on to you in front of this fire right now.”

“So could I,” said Joshua. “So could I.” 

* * *

Lyon awoke to find Joshua fully dressed, adjusting his hat. “Good day,” he said.

“Good day to you as well.”

“What business finds you on this good day?”

“Good business, naturally.”

“And so you go off to do your good business.” Lyon props himself on an elbow, revealing little more than just his bare shoulders.

“In a manner of speaking.” Lyon blinks, gulps, and continues. “This was a fun little joke, but yesterday was more than a fun little day.”

“I know, and I will not forget you. How could I?”

“I will not forget you either. So you continue your travels?”

“It is my path, and I must walk it. It is not an easy one, but if I stand still, my past will catch up with me.” Joshua leans against the door. Lyon sits up.

“So, will I ever see you again?”

“I believe in destiny, and I believe that destiny will bring us together when you least expect it.”


End file.
